Johnson captures frantic finish

There’s one certainty about racing at NASCAR’s most unpredictable tracks: a chaotic ending.

Jimmie Johnson dominated the latest restrictor-plate race Saturday night, winning at Daytona International Speedway for the second time this year and joining another exclusive list at the famed venue.

The five-time Sprint Cup champion became the first driver since Hall of Famer Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both points races at Daytona in the same season. Fireball Roberts (1962), Cale Yarborough (1968) and LeeRoy Yarbrough (1969) also accomplished the feat.

Johnson joined them after leading 94 of 161 laps, including 55 of the final 57.

But like so many other races at Daytona and Talladega, where horsepower-sapping plates generally keep speeds below 200 mph, it came with a frantic finish.

There were two multi-car wrecks on the final lap, the second one just a few feet shy of the finish line.

“Be glad you were sitting in the stands and not in the cars,” runner-up Tony Stewart said.

Scott Speed and Carl Edwards got together in turn 2, starting a six-car pileup. Instead of ending the race under caution, NASCAR decided to let the cars race to the line.

With drivers maneuvering for position through the final turns, David Gilliland and Danica Patrick got tangled, turning Patrick’s car into several others. Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jeff Burton and other were involved.

“I asked my crew when the checkered fell to remind me why I do this,” driver/owner Michael Waltrip said. “What’s fun about it? ... I just know that 200 miles an hour pushing and shoving — this is fun for the fans and it’s going to be fun to watch back on TV. I wasn’t having any fun doing it.”

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